1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for forming loops from a wire strand emerging from a wire rolling train by means of a rotating looper, wherein the device includes a conveyor onto which the loops are placed while the conveyor is moving, wherein a driving unit, a looper and a roller conveyor, a chain conveyor or the like, are arranged following the wire rolling train and wherein the driving unit and possibly also the looper are arranged inclined relative to the horizontal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern wire rolling trains operate with ever increasing final speeds, particularly when rolling wire having a small diameter. Final speeds of more than 100 m/s are reached. On the other hand, ever increasing dimensions are also rolled, with wire diameters of up to more than about 25 mm.
These very different rolling parameters produce problems when the wire loops of the finished wire are placed on the conveyor.
In accordance with the prior art, the looper is usually arranged in a fixed manner at an angle of about 10.degree. relative to the horizontal and the driving unit arranged in front of the looper is arranged either extending horizontally or also at the same or a smaller angle relative to the horizontal.
In order to achieve a problem-free placement of the loops of wire having a small diameter at a very high speed, on the one hand, and of wire having a large diameter at low speeds, on the other hand, a looper has been proposed in the art whose inclination relative to the horizontal was adjustable. For example, the angle of inclination is 10.degree. for high wire speeds and the inclination is up to 30.degree. for low wire speeds.
However, this solution resulted in the following significant disadvantages. The different inclinations require correspondingly changed distances from the horizontal guide planes; in other words, differently adjusted deflecting guide means must me used depending on the wire speed. In addition, pivotable support structures for the driving unit and for the looper are required. These support structures are not only technically cumbersome, but they are susceptible to vibrations at high speeds.